Boost Remodel Sales

1. Run every lead you can get your hands on.
Sounds simple, doesn't it? Yet, every day salespeople pre-qualify prospects over the telephone before making an appointment to go out and see them. What's up with that?

Here's how I qualify a lead: if they'll set an appointment, I'll go see them. If they won't set an appointment, I won't go see them.

2. Never pre-judge a lead.
You don't know in advance who is going to buy and who isn't. How can you?

I've sold systems to people who:
--Didn't own the home.
--Were selling the home in the near future.
--Had informed me they weren't buying anything; they were just getting bids.
--Had recently purchased the same home improvement I was there to sell them from someone else.

3. Send Thank You cards.
Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn't it? Here's a different twist: Send them to the people who don't buy.

Before you run a lead, write the prospective customers name and address on the envelope of a Thank You card and put a stamp on it. After running the sales call, whether they bought or not, jot a quick note in the card and, if possible, drop it in a mailbox with a late pick-up time. With any luck, it will be in the prospects hands the next day.
That's professionalism and I know it's made me sales I wouldnt have otherwise made.

4. Listen to motivation and sales training tapes and CDs in your vehicle between calls.

Here's a list of some of my personal favorites:
*See you at the Top (Zig Ziglar)

*The Psychology of Closing, The Psychology of Selling, The Psychology of Success (Brian Tracy)

*The Secrets of Power Persuasion, Confident Decision Making, The Secrets of Power Performance, Roger Dawsons Secrets of Power Negotiating (Roger Dawson)

*In Search of Excellence (Tom Peters)

*Rich Dad, Poor Dad (Robert T. Kiyosaki)

*Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt (Harvey Mackay)

*The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)

*Million Dollar Habits (Robert J. Ringer)

*Charlie Greer's "NO EXCUSES!" audio tape series

*Charlie Greer's "Overnight Success in P.M." audio tape series

5. Follow up on every lead you run, even when you know they're not going to buy.
Don't just call and ask them if they've made up their mind yet. Don't be ridiculous. If they'd decided to buy from you, they'd have called YOU already.

Instead, call to clarify a point or to inform them of something you forgot to tell them. Call for a reason. Get the conversation going first. Get their attention. Break their pre-occupation first.

6. Keep your presentation short.
Every word that comes out of your mouth is really nothing more than an opportunity to get yourself into trouble. Say as little as possible in order to gain a commitment.

Don't say everything you can think of to say, then ask them to buy. If they put you off, you've got nothing left! Save your bullets!

7. Stay honest.
Think only of solving your customers needs during the sales call and NEVER think about your commission while you're in the home.

8. Keep after that customer who's difficult to reach or is just plain difficult.
Remember, this person is giving your competition just as hard of a time as youre getting and the one who sticks with this person will get the order.

9. Remind yourself during the sales call to relax.
We communicate with our bodies in nonverbal ways that are only picked up and interpreted by the subconscious mind, and people tend to mirror one another. So relax yourself and youll help to relax your prospective customer.

10. Practice your presentation in front of a video camera.
Watch it, then have yourself a good cry. Then do it again and again until youre doing something you believe you can be proud of.

Most salespeople aren't as good as they think they are, and the camera absolutely refuses to lie to you.

Good salespeople are not born, they are made. There are three things you have to do to get good at sales:
1. Practice.
2. Practice.
3. Practice.

Theres one problem. You've heard it said that practice makes perfect. That's not exactly true. It's more a matter of PERFECT practice makes perfect.

Charlie Greer is a PHC service tech, a PHC salesman and president of HVAC Profit Boosters, Inc., a PHC sales training firm and home of the Sales Survival School. For more information or to sign up for his free newsletter, click here: www.hvacprofitboosters.com or call 1-800-963-HVAC (4822).